Global warming is melting the Arctic sea ice that polar bears need to survive. Learn the facts, discover the solutions, and find out what YOU can do.
❄️ The Facts
The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the rest of the planet. Sea ice is shrinking by 13% every single decade.
The oldest, thickest Arctic sea ice has declined by more than 95% since the 1980s. Almost all of it has vanished in just 40 years.
Polar bears need sea ice to hunt seals. One Canadian population has already been cut in half over the last 40 years.
Hudson Bay in Canada now has 150 ice-free days per year, up from 120 just 30 years ago. That is a whole extra month without food.
Between 22,000 and 31,000 polar bears survive today. The IUCN classifies them as Vulnerable and their numbers are declining.
In March 2025, Arctic winter sea ice reached the lowest annual maximum in the entire 47-year satellite record.
📆 Timeline
1980s
Scientists first notice the Arctic warming faster than anywhere else on Earth. Old, thick sea ice begins its long decline.
1990s
Researchers notice polar bear drops in western Hudson Bay, Canada, as ice-free seasons grow longer.
2015
Nearly 200 countries agree to limit global warming to 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This target is critical for polar bear survival.
2023
Antarctic sea ice reached its lowest point in 2,000 years. Both poles are now showing signs of accelerating stress.
2025
March 2025 saw the lowest Arctic winter sea ice maximum ever recorded. Scientists describe the situation as alarming.
2030–2060
Scientists warn that without major action, polar bears in Hudson Bay may no longer survive by 2060.
💡 Solutions
Solar, wind, and other clean energy sources produce no greenhouse gases. The more we use them, the slower the warming.
Scientists are spreading tiny reflective glass beads over Arctic ice to bounce sunlight back into space and slow the melt.
A company called Real Ice pumps seawater onto existing ice in winter to thicken it and help it survive through summer.
Protecting at least 30% of Arctic land and oceans gives wildlife a better chance to survive the changes already underway.
Researchers are testing spraying sea salt particles into clouds to make them more reflective, shielding the ice below from the sun.
World leaders are being urged to phase out oil, gas, and coal within 20 years and replace them fully with clean energy alternatives.
🧠 Test Your Knowledge
How much faster is the Arctic warming compared to the rest of Earth?
Every hero starts somewhere. Pledge to do these things to help polar bears — even from Canada!